Family, friends and people all over the region are mourning Patricia Rouse, widow of the man credited as "the founder" of Columbia.Patty and James Rouse co-founded Enterprise Community Partners, an organization dedicated to providing equity and grants to those in the Columbia neighborhood.The couple was known for their dedication and commitment to the community for decades.Patty Rouse suffered from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and had struggled with Alzheimer's disease.U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-District 7, released a statement Tuesday, saying, "Patty Rouse was a visionary who, along with her husband, saw a time when all Americans would have a home they could call their own. The goal she and Jim sought in creating Columbia, and in all their housing work, was not just achieving their dream, but of allowing others to live the American Dream. Though Jim, and now Patty, have passed, Columbia will remain as a lasting testament to their vision of creating affordable, livable homes. Meanwhile, Enterprise Community Partners, the organization they co-founded, will continue to find ways to improve and increase affordable housing availability, bringing Pattys vision to the entire nation. We will miss Patty, her incredible work ethic and her spirit of giving. I join residents of Columbia and our entire District in mourning for her loss and prayer for her friends and family."James Rouse died in 1996.

BALTIMORE —

Family, friends and people all over the region are mourning Patricia Rouse, widow of the man credited as "the founder" of Columbia.

Patty and James Rouse co-founded Enterprise Community Partners, an organization dedicated to providing equity and grants to those in the Columbia neighborhood.

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The couple was known for their dedication and commitment to the community for decades.

Patty Rouse suffered from non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and had struggled with Alzheimer's disease.

U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-District 7, released a statement Tuesday, saying, "Patty Rouse was a visionary who, along with her husband, saw a time when all Americans would have a home they could call their own. The goal she and Jim sought in creating Columbia, and in all their housing work, was not just achieving their dream, but of allowing others to live the American Dream. Though Jim, and now Patty, have passed, Columbia will remain as a lasting testament to their vision of creating affordable, livable homes. Meanwhile, Enterprise Community Partners, the organization they co-founded, will continue to find ways to improve and increase affordable housing availability, bringing Pattys vision to the entire nation. We will miss Patty, her incredible work ethic and her spirit of giving. I join residents of Columbia and our entire District in mourning for her loss and prayer for her friends and family."